Chapter 19

"It looks like we're interrupting both of you!" Veronica teased. As Veronica spoke, she instinctively leaned closer to Caleb, subtly displaying a sense of intimacy. Caleb glanced at Veronica from the corner of his eye and noticed Adrian sitting beside Yasmin. They were only about a foot apart, and he let Veronica's subtle gestures go unchecked. "No, no! Not at all!" Adrian stood up and waved his hands, as if afraid of causing a misunderstanding that might ruin Yasmin's reputation. "I-I was just… admiring Yasmin! Yes, I admire her very much!" Veronica wasn't going to let Adrian off the hook so easily. "Then, what exactly were you two doing?" she asked playfully, her eyes twinkling with curiosity. "Yasmin skipped her lunch, so I came to check on her." Adrian scratched his head awkwardly. Yasmin remained silent, watching Veronica's antics with a neutral expression. But when she shifted her gaze, she found herself locking eyes with Caleb. His undisguised stare settled on her, exuding a certain pressure on Yasmin. Just like a predator watching its prey, he was calm yet chilling. "We haven't eaten either. Let's all have lunch together!" Veronica clapped her hands and put forward a suggestion in excitement, "There's a five-star private restaurant nearby, and I know the owner well!" Yasmin had no intention of going, but before she could refuse, Adrian's tendency to agree got the better of him. He blurted out, "Sure." Yasmin instinctively looked at Caleb. Since he was going out on a date with Veronica, why would she tag along with them? She'd just be a third wheel. But before Yasmin could reject the invitation, Caleb had already taken the lead and started walking ahead. Seeing this, Yasmin didn't know what to say. Forget it. Adrian, who was also her senior, had always been kind to her. And she had just rejected him earlier today. Going along would at least save him some embarrassment. Trailing behind, Adrian took the chance to chat quietly with Yasmin as he hoped to interact more with his crush. He whispered, "Is that Mr. Grant's girlfriend whom Mr. Evans mentioned? They look really great together!" Up ahead, Caleb was dressed in an impeccably tailored suit while Veronica was wearing Chanel clothes. Even from behind, one could tell they were a beautiful couple. The words "perfect match" might as well be written on their foreheads. "I'm not sure," Yasmin replied. Feeling her lack of interest, Adrian sensibly dropped the topic. The five-star private restaurant they arrived at was operating on a membership basis. It was known for being pricey and not too crowded. Veronica naturally took a seat beside Caleb, ordering like she was the hostess of this feast. "I didn't mishear just now, did I? Mr. Elsher, you like our dear Yasmin, don't you?" Veronica brought up the topic. As expected, she could sense the irritation from Caleb, who was sitting next to her. It didn't matter if Caleb still had feelings for Yasmin. No man would enjoy watching another man pursue his wife, even if they were about to divorce. Veronica's goal was simple—to fuel Caleb's anger and deepen his disdain for Yasmin. "Our dear Yasmin?" Adrian looked at Veronica in shock, and then he turned to look at Yasmin. Veronica smirked. "Yasmin and I are very close to each other!" Pouting, Yasmin thought to herself, "What a joke." Both she and Veronica shared the same last name, so how could she possibly deny their relationship? Who would believe her? Realizing that he could no longer avoid the topic, Adrian awkwardly admitted, "It's true. I do like Yasmin… I like her a lot! But I'm not good enough for her. She has already turned me down." Leaning back against his chair with a lazy posture, Caleb crossed his arms and studied Adrian with a scrutinizing look as if he were evaluating a product on display. Adrian, completely oblivious to Caleb's scrutiny, looked at Yasmin again. "But if there's still a chance, I'd love to try pursuing her again!" "You don't stand a chance," Caleb suddenly interjected. It was the first time he had spoken since entering the restaurant. With his words, a heavy silence fell over the table. "Huh?" Adrian froze, staring at Caleb in shock and confusion. Veronica patted Caleb's arm and smiled, trying to ease the tension. "Caleb, you're scaring Mr. Elsher!" Yasmin's gaze lingered on Veronica's hand resting casually on Caleb's sleeve. He didn't flinch. Instead, he simply let out a silent, cold smirk. Caleb had a mild aversion to physical contact, not even allowing his cousins to touch him. Yet Veronica seemed to be an exception. Childhood friends really did have special privileges! The food began arriving one by one. When the clam chowder was served, the waiter specifically picked one bowl for Yasmin. "Ms. Whitmore, this doesn't have scallions. We remember your preferences." Hearing "Ms. Whitmore", both Yasmin and Veronica turned toward the waiter simultaneously. The waiter paused for a moment before quickly realizing that both ladies had the last name Whitmore. He then placed the clam chowder without scallions in front of Yasmin. Then, the waiter turned to Veronica and asked, "Is your last name Whitmore too? My apologies. I haven't seen you here before. I'll make sure to remember next time." Noticing the sudden stiffness in Veronica's expression, Yasmin's lips curled into a smirk. "Didn't you say you were quite familiar with the owner of this place? You've never actually eaten here before?" Veronica forcibly composed herself, pretending not to have heard Yasmin's words. Instead, she directed a sarcastic remark at the waiter. "Your memory is impressive." The waiter replied, "Mr. Grant has brought Ms. Whitmore here several times and specifically told us to remember her preferences and dietary restrictions." Hearing that, Adrian and Veronica both turned to look at Caleb. Caleb just sipped his chowder, looking completely unbothered as if the mention of "Mr. Grant" had absolutely nothing to do with him. But his last name was Grant. If it truly had nothing to do with him, he wouldn't be this calm! Adrian recalled how Caleb had always shown special attention to Yasmin at work, and a thought formed in his mind. His eyes widened in shock, and his mind was in turmoil. At this moment, he couldn't even bring himself to look at Yasmin. He had literally just told Yasmin that Caleb and Veronica made a great couple… Oh, no! "I-I need to use the restroom. Excuse me!" Adrian fled the scene. The moment he left, Yasmin put down her spoon. The crisp clink of porcelain against the bowl echoed in the silence, like a sharp knock to the heart. Yasmin stared at Caleb expressionlessly. Caleb scoffed lightly. "Minnie, just look at the kind of men you choose."